This report was written by Kevin Heppner,
consultant to the Children's Rights Division of Human Rights Watch, based
on research conducted in Thailand and border areas of Burma in March 2002
by Kevin Heppner and Jo Becker, advocacy director for the Children's Rights
Division of Human Rights Watch. The author conducted additional research
in February and April through July 2002. Jo Becker also contributed to
the writing of sections of the report.

This report was edited by Jo Becker, advocacy
director for the Children's Rights Division; Lois Whitman, executive director
of the Children's Rights Division; Ian Gorvin, consultant in the Program
Office of Human Rights Watch; Wilder Tayler, legal and policy director
of Human Rights Watch; and Mike Jendrzejczyk, Washington director of the
Asia Division of Human Rights Watch, and the acting director of Asia Division
during the preparation of this report. Rachael Reilly, refugee policy director
of Human Rights Watch, and Alison Parker, Leonard H. Sandler Fellow on
Refugee Policy, offered input and assistance on refugee standards and policy
issues and contributed to the legal standards section of the report. Dana
Sommers, Fitzroy Hepkins, Patrick Minges and Veronica Matushaj provided
production assistance.

Human Rights Watch gratefully acknowledges
the Bernard Osher Foundation for its financial support, and Patrick Ball,
Deputy Director of the Science and Human Rights Program, Directorate for
Science and Policy Programs at the American Association for the Advancement
of Science, for providing guidance on the statistical analyses in the report.

Human Rights Watch is indebted to the many
individuals and organizations that contributed their time, energy and information
to Human Rights Watch during the research and preparation of this report,
including those who helped Human Rights Watch gain access to current and
former soldiers. We are particularly grateful to the current and former
soldiers who shared their stories with us.